Richard Madeley recently shared a revelation about his past smoking habit, admitting to smoking 60 cigarettes a day before he managed to kick the addiction. The 69-year-old former TV presenter, known for his work alongside his wife Judy Finnigan, confessed to having a highly addictive personality, which deterred him from experimenting with drugs as he was already heavily hooked on smoking.

Speaking on the On The Mend podcast with musician Matt Willis, Richard disclosed that he used to smoke three packs a day until the age of 40. He emphasized his fear of falling into the trap of more dangerous substances due to his addictive tendencies. Despite being a moderate drinker, mainly indulging in wine, he avoided drugs like cocaine and marijuana out of fear of spiraling into addiction.

Richard revealed that he picked up smoking at the age of 16 while working as a local newspaper reporter in the early 1970s, a time when smoking was prevalent among peers. He described how smoking became intertwined with his work routine, with cigarettes being a constant companion during his writing tasks, leading to a rapid addiction.

The turning point for Richard came during an interview with the late John Diamond, Nigella Lawson’s first husband, who battled throat and mouth cancer attributed to smoking. Witnessing Diamond’s suffering and deteriorating health due to smoking-related illnesses prompted Richard to quit smoking for good. He vividly recalled the moment he disposed of his remaining cigarettes after the eye-opening encounter, determined not to meet a similar fate.

Richard’s story serves as a cautionary tale on the dangers of smoking and the importance of breaking free from addictive behaviors to safeguard one’s health and well-being.